1. Meanwhile, China is also supplying dual-use components to Iran for its armaments, including drones and missiles, while Iran supplies the Houthis. Re: War, Sanctions and The China-Iran Partnership: https://roycedemelo.com/2026/07/28/war-sanctions-and-the-china-iran-partnership/
đź”´Defense Express — Saudi Arabia Secretly Got Chinese DF-15A Missiles With 900km Range, Already Used Against Houthis
Debris photos confirm Chinese-made short-range ballistic missile fired in Yemen as Riyadh already hides DF-3 and DF-21 MRBMs in underground bunker complexes
Until this moment, Saudi Arabia was already known as possessor of quite significant medium-range ballistic missile arsenal of DF-3 and DF-21, which were purchased from china under quite secretive circumstances and are housed in secret underground bases.
Now grounds exist for assuming Saudi Arabia may have received from china short-range ballistic missiles DF-15A at 900 kilometers as well, and this missile weaponry was used against Yemeni Houthis.
To read more, see : https://en.defence-ua.com/industries/saudi_arabia_secretly_got_chinese_df_15a_missiles_with_900km_range_already_used_against_houthis-19800.html
This item is a copy of a LinkedIn posting that generated a lot of interest: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/royce-de-melo-39172813_chinesemissile-chinesedefenseindustry-missile-activity-7506375545660829696-vV1p?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAALG3h0BmCuAbEV3iAYJNZHCQ1bHqD_qO9k
2. đź”´ Exclusive-China presses Iran to help rein in Houthis after Saudi appeal, sources say
China has positioned itself as a key broker in the Middle East, especially between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the GCC. From a report I wrote in late July, ‘War, Sanctions and The China-Iran Partnership’: https://roycedemelo.com/2026/07/28/war-sanctions-and-the-china-iran-partnership/:
➤ “China’s regional influence is reflected in its role in helping Iran restore diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia in 2023, leveraging its economic ties with both countries, with China being the Kingdom’s largest oil customer.”
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➤ ‘Beijing is advising Saudi Arabia, Oman, and, by extension, the GCC, that it can help de-escalate the conflict through its influence on Iran, even as it continues to facilitate Tehran’s military needs.
➤ “The GCC should recognize that Iran’s over-reliance on China is, in part, a scheme for Beijing to exert influence over the GCC’s own policy options.”
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China also negotiated to have the Saudi pull back a bit in 2023 in Yemen in their war with the Houthis, as China opened Iran-Saudi diplomatic relations.
Today we see Iran and its proxies launching attacks on the Kingdom, while China supports Iran and also sells military hardware to Saudi Arabia.
đź”´ DUBAI, Sept 17 (Reuters) – China has privately asked Tehran to help rein in Yemen’s Houthis after an appeal to Beijing by Saudi Arabia following the Iran-backed group’s military blitz in the past week, according to three Iranian sources familiar with the matter.
Riyadh turned to China for help after the Houthis made rapid advances along the Red Sea coast and around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, moves that have left Saudi oil exports and shipping more exposed, the sources said.
China has publicly called for restraint, dialogue and the restoration of safe navigation, but its private message went further than the public statements, they said.
Beijing wants Iran to use its influence with the Houthis to help prevent the conflict spreading further across energy routes on which China, the world’s second-largest economy, depends.
The sources, who were briefed on the discussions and spoke on condition of anonymity, did not provide details of how the message was delivered or whether it was conveyed during a visit to China on Wednesday by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi.
The sources said Tehran’s response was that stability and peace in the region depend on ending the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Chinese officials did not issue any explicit threats or indicate that Beijing would seek to pressure Tehran economically if it failed to use its influence over the Houthis, the three Iranian sources said.
–RdM